Method and apparatus for testing embedded examples in documentation

Abstract

A method of testing an embedded example includes extracting the embedded example from documentation, creating a test suite from the embedded example, selecting a tool against which to execute the test suite, executing the test suite against the tool to generate an output response, and comparing the output response of the tool to a golden file.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of testing an embedded example, comprising: 
 extracting the embedded example from documentation;    creating a test suite from the embedded example;    selecting a tool against which to execute the test suite;    executing the test suite against the tool to generate an output response; and    comparing the output response of the tool to a golden file.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 creating the embedded example using at least one tag chosen from a tag set.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 creating the golden file using at least one tag chosen from a tag set.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 locating a source of error if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 correcting the embedded example if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 sending a comparison result to a display device.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 storing a comparison result onto a storage device.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test suite is created by interpreting a tag set.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tool is a command line tool.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the golden file comprises a proper output response of the tool executing the test suite.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the golden file is created manually.  
     
     
         12 . A method of testing an embedded example, comprising: 
 extracting the embedded example from documentation;    creating a test suite from the embedded example;    selecting a tool against which to execute the test suite;    executing the test suite against the tool to generate an output response;    comparing the output response of the tool to a golden file;    creating the embedded example using at least one tag chosen from a tag set;    creating the golden file using at least one tag chosen from a tag set;    locating a source of error if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file;    correcting the embedded example if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file;    sending a comparison result to a display device; and    storing a comparison result onto a storage device.    
     
     
         13 . A method of embedding tags, comprising: 
 locating an embedded example in documentation; and    delineating the embedded example with a start tag and a closing tag chosen from a tag set.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 embedding a control statement as part of the embedded example.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 embedding a file location statement as part of the embedded example.    
     
     
         16 . A method of embedding tags, comprising: 
 locating an embedded example in documentation;    delineating the embedded example with a start tag and a closing tag chosen from a tag set;    embedding a control statement as part of the embedded example; and    embedding a file location statement as part of the embedded example.    
     
     
         17 . A method of creating a test suite, comprising: 
 examining an extracted example;    interpreting a tag located within the extracted example; and    aggregating constituent parts using the interpretation of the tag.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the extracted example is an embedded example copied from documentation.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the tag is interpreted using a defined tag set.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the constituent parts are derived from the extracted example and a source file.  
     
     
         21 . A computer system to test an embedded example, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory;    a storage device;    a computer display; and    software instructions stored in the memory for enabling the computer system under control of the processor, to perform: 
 extracting the embedded example from documentation;  
 creating a test suite from the embedded example;  
 selecting a tool against which to execute the test suite;  
 executing the test suite against the tool to generate an output response; and  
 comparing the output response of the tool to a golden file.  
   
     
     
         22 . The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 software instructions for creating the embedded example using at least one tag chosen from a tag set.    
     
     
         23 . The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 software instructions for creating the golden file using at least one tag chosen from a tag set.    
     
     
         24 . The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 software instructions for locating a source of error if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file.    
     
     
         25 . The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 software instructions for correcting the embedded example if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file.    
     
     
         26 . The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 software instructions for sending a comparison result to a display device.    
     
     
         27 . The computer system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 software instructions for storing a comparison result onto a storage device.    
     
     
         28 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the golden file comprises a proper output response of the tool executing the test suite.  
     
     
         29 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the golden file is created manually.  
     
     
         30 . A computer system to test an embedded example, comprising: 
 a processor;    a memory;    a storage device;    a computer display; and    software instructions stored in the memory for enabling the computer system under control of the processor, to perform: 
 extracting the embedded example from documentation;  
 creating a test suite from the embedded example;  
 selecting a tool against which to execute the test suite;  
 executing the test suite against the tool to generate an output response;  
 comparing the output response of the tool to a golden file;  
 creating the embedded example using at least one tag chosen from a tag set;  
 creating the golden file using at least one tag chosen from a tag set;  
 locating a source of error if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file;  
 correcting the embedded example if the output response of the tool varies from the golden file;  
 sending a comparison result to a display device; and  
 storing a comparison result onto a storage device.  
   
     
     
         31 . An apparatus for testing an embedded example, comprising: 
 means for extracting the embedded example from documentation;    means for creating a test suite from the embedded example;    means for selecting a tool against which to execute the test suite;    means for executing the test suite against the tool to generate an output response; and    means for comparing the output response of the tool to a golden file.